Where do you call home?
Wherever my cats are because I absolutely adore my kitties. They're my biggest inspiration and always stay up with me during my regular nightly writing sessions.
Do you have plans for a new book?
Oh, yes. I have this tiny pink notepad where I always jot down ideas for new books. I wish I could write as fast as I come up with new characters and plots. There's going to be about five books in the Ancient Legends series, of which two are finished and the other three are outlined, waiting to be written. I've also started writing Book One in the Warlock series, a young adult fantasy trilogy with a strong focus on mythology, which is due to come out on Nov. 30th.
What inspired you to write your first book?
Actually, it was The Queen Of The Damned by Anne Rice. It was such a unique and captivating read, I just knew it was time to stop writing poems and short stories, and start trying my hand at novel-length fiction of the paranormal kind.
How did you come up with the title and cover design?
I had a hard time writing the novel since there was so much plot and the story kept getting longer and longer, so I jokingly called it 'the job from hell' and that's how the title was born. My best friend found the cover art and pointed it out to me. The moment I saw the picture of a girl being chased at night, I knew it suited Amber and her story down to a t.
Have you based any of your characters on someone you know, or real events in your own life?
No, but even if I did, I wouldn't tell.
What books have most influenced your writing most and why?
I've always been a huge Tolkien fan and consider The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings trilogy to be the most spectacular works of fiction in history. It's not the content or messages as much as the writing style and Tolkien's ability to convey a sense of reality through his fantastic description. Tolkien's not everyone's cup of tea, but to me he was a literary genius and one of the most talented writers of our time. I used to study Tolkien's long passages of description and wish I could put my thoughts into words like he did. Whenever I write a difficult scene, I tend to grab one of his books to flick through, and I find it helps me focus every time.
Another influence is Anne Rice. I just love everything about the way she writes, the way she can send shivers down my spine. Thanks to her, vampires will always be beautiful and terrible at the same time, dangerous beings who seek companions to share their century old knowledge and understanding of the world, beings who will see their transformation as a curse rather than as a blessing to elude mortality. This notion together with a tendency toward description and bringing in a darker side of beauty is something that I very much see in my own writing.
What book are you reading now?
Beelzebub Girl, which is the second book in my Ancient Legends series. I'm supposed to be editing it, but keep losing focus since it's such a funny read.
What is your biggest challenge when it comes to your writing?
I'll have to say finishing since I have the attention span of a five-year-old and tend to lose interest around 50,000 words, which is about halfway in. I'm also not a huge fan of editing, which is why I have an editor who goes through the last draft of everything I write.
Who designed the covers?
I did, and I'm really proud of them because when I started a few months back I had absolutely no idea of what I was doing.
Do you have a book trailer?
Yes, I do. It took me two long, challenging days to finish the first one because I had never worked with Mac's iMovie before. I believe for an indie, a book trailer is a necessity rather than a choice. You can watch them both here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKyBFg29_...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLsqtL8su...
Do you have any advice for other writers?
Study the craft and establish your own style because that's what'll make you stand out from the crowd. Also, try to write every day and join a critique group such as critiquecircle.com.
Where can your readers follow you?
I spend a lot of time on Goodreads.com, so that's the one place where readers can interact with me and get a personalised response. I'm also on Facebook and Twitter.
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